Use the Right Approach!




	If you’re trying to convince me, use the right approach!
Question: Sometimes on sales calls, I seem to be doing just fine, and then I say something that makes my prospect go nuts, both in the good and bad sense. I can give the same reassuring advice to one who responds positively and another takes it totally different. How can I be sure of saying the right thing when it matters? Answer: There are so many variables to persuasion. And, I mean persuasion in a positive sense. You certainly will not be able to persuade anyone to buy something that they don't need. However, you won't be able to sell someone something that they do need if you don't appeal to the appropriate convincer strategy. For instance: I recently hired a contractor to do some work on my home. I was convinced and ready to go ahead. Then she said, "We're currently working on a huge project for a famous baseball player's home down the road." She went on to elaborate what an extensive job it would be and what an elaborate home he has. I didn't need that extra reassurance and it actually backfired. It made me think, "So, a baseball player is more important than the work done on my home. I wonder who will be priority in her eyes?" This is how I think, and this is how some of your customers think. On the other hand, some of your customers would be highly influenced by this comment. Confusing, isn't it? It doesn't have to be. It's a matter of applying the right convincer strategy to each person and circumstance. This is merely a matter of adjusting your approach to what most convinces each individual person instead of haphazardly using an approach that may work with some people and not with others. Here are some sample convincer strategy guidelines: Determine Frame Of Reference — One guideline for convincing others is to simply ask a question about how they make decisions like, "How do you evaluate the performance of others?" How your customer responds gives you information about how they are influenced. For instance, if a customer says "The numbers will say it all," you need to provide quantifiable evidence. On the other hand, a customer whom responds, "I'll hear from our customers if our people aren't doing a good job" will be most influenced by testimonials from others. And, a customer who says, "I'll just know" will draw their own conclusions and will need hands on demonstration. Move Toward/Move From — All human behavior evolves around the need to gain pleasure or avoid pain. Some people are oriented to one more than another. And, unlike other psychologies this will vary based on the decision that they are making. Listen to what your customers tell you about past purchase decisions. Some will tell you what they want and others will tell you what they don't want. This simple strategy is very effective if you recognize and use it. Simply position your solution to match the strategy of the customer. Stressing what it does for those who use a "move toward" strategy, and what it doesn't do for those who use a "move from" strategy.		For instance, assume you are selling wireless phones. If your customer tells you what they want in a product, they are using a move toward strategy. You would say something like, "With this plan you will get 600 minutes free, we'll take care of programming and you'll be able to roam for no additional charge." On the other hand, if you are working with a person using a move from strategy, you would say something like, "You won't have to program the phone yourself, and you won't have to pay roaming fees out of state." Take Away Strategy — Here's a strategy that applies mostly to those customers who use a move from strategy. Perhaps you've mentioned to customers, "This is the last one" and some customers react and others don't. Those that react are customers who use what we refer to as a take away strategy. Approximately 60% of your customer base will react to this convincer strategy. Yet, if you use this strategy on all of your customers without determining if it will work, you'll potentially lose 40% of your sales. So, how do you tell? These customers are those that move from pain and tell you what they don't want in a product vs. what they want. Direct Request/Direct Response: If the customer calls you and asks for the product, you may think you are doing a good job by trying to reassure your customer with testimonials or additional product information, but the fact that the customer called you and said exactly what they wanted should give you some clues. I recently called a person who had assumed a meat route for a person that I purchased from for years. I told her I was out of ribs and would like to order some. She went on to tell me about the ribs and said they are the same ribs served at a famous restaurant in Milwaukee. Well, I don't like their ribs! Plus, I was already sold, so why did she throw that in. Now she added doubt. Was I getting the same product I was perfectly happy with, or would these be different? Same or Different: If you ask customers, “How is businesss?” Some will respond, "Fantastic. We've entered new markets, have had good steady growth have a good steady base. And some may answer, “Everything is always the same, the same steady customers, the same good business growth, yet we have entered a few new markets.” How your customer responds will indicate how you should convince them. Sell differences to those that describe what they want to change and sameness to those who describe their needs in terms of how much they want things to stay the same. Convincer Strategies are only part of what it takes to be effective in sales. Remember, if you attempt to communicate with no regard for the other person's personal map, then you're only sending information!

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